Individual Review Thumbnail Review: 2016 Nordica Santa Ana

[Tricia]

Nordica's new Enforcer has received accolades aplenty here on Pugski and many other sites, and the Santa Ana is just as good for the women. Built off the La Niña platform in the resort powder category, the Santa Ana could belong to the same class as other all-mountain skis; however, its construction and shape make it a great choice for a lightweight skier looking for a powder option. The term “one-ski quiver” tends to be overused, but you really can pack this ski for a trip and know you’ll be fine no matter the conditions, except maybe absolute boilerplate.

Nordica is killing it with this ski.

• Who is it for? Skiers who want a strong yet playful one-ski quiver.
• Who is it not for? Anyone looking for the NASTAR course.
• Insider tip: If you’re thinking about getting these this season, hop to it: they are selling out.

 

[Peter]

And it looks very cool too !

 

[AmyPJ]

On my short list for next season.

 

[Monique]

Love mine for mixed conditions days. They give confidence through mank and crud while still holding an edge surprisingly well on firm groomers. I'm not a light skier, so it's not a powder ski for me, but I did ski it in 8" of heavy snow and it acquitted itself well - it just didn't float me.

 

[SBrown]

Not mine. Sorta.

 

[Monique]

@SBrown - what's that binding?

 

[SBrown]

@SBrown - what's that binding?

Tyrolia AAAttack 13.

 

[Monique]

I just noticed that Powder7 has a used pair of Santa Anas with demo bindings available. 169cm, $629.99.

http://www.powder7.com/Nordica-Santa-Ana-Skis-169cm-Used-2016/for-sale

 

[AmyPJ]

Guess what I just bought?? They're on their way from the east coast. Am going to mount my mint green Attack 12's on them that I pulled off the Centurys that Level Nine allowed me to return. (Shout out to them for great customer service!)
Will report back after I ski them, which can't be soon enough as we are getting a lot of snow! I absolutely loved them on demo day, so much so that I really didn't want to return them.

 

[Tony S]

hmph

 

[Erik Timmerman]

WHO IS IT NOT FOR? Anyone looking for the NASTAR course.

Not necessarily true. One of the bootfitters at Inner Bootworks has been racing our Tuesday series on Santa Anas. It's kind of embarrassing getting "chicked" by a girl that is on powder skis.

 

[Josh Matta]

yeah top 10s basically the entire year right Erik?

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Top-20 anyway, top-10 on a good day.

 

[Tricia]

Guess what I just bought?? They're on their way from the east coast. Am going to mount my mint green Attack 12's on them that I pulled off the Centurys that Level Nine allowed me to return. (Shout out to them for great customer service!)
Will report back after I ski them, which can't be soon enough as we are getting a lot of snow! I absolutely loved them on demo day, so much so that I really didn't want to return them.

OMG you're sooooooo going to love those!!!

 

[Tricia]

Not necessarily true. One of the bootfitters at Inner Bootworks has been racing our Tuesday series on Santa Anas. It's kind of embarrassing getting "chicked" by a girl that is on powder skis.

yeah top 10s basically the entire year right Erik?

Not gonna lie..... This made me laugh

 

[AmyPJ]

OMG you're sooooooo going to love those!!!

I can't wait! I truly could have just kept them all day the day I demoed and been happy--and then kept them after that, too! I think they're going to be the perfect soft-snow compliment to my Kenjas.

 

[AmyPJ]

They're here, they're here! They are being mounted with my Attack 12's as we speak. The guys in the shop at Snowbasin were very impressed with my binding choice and how great they look with the ski. Will get out on them tomorrow. Question is, do I replicate Tricia's photo and play the ski guitar?

 

[Philpug]

They're here, they're here! They are being mounted with my Attack 12's as we speak. The guys in the shop at Snowbasin were very impressed with my binding choice and how great they look with the ski. Will get out on them tomorrow. Question is, do I replicate Tricia's photo and play the ski guitar?

Hells YEAH! Le'ts see you do your best Pete Townsend..but without smashing the ski through the amp.

 

[AmyPJ]

Hells YEAH! Le'ts see you do your best Pete Townsend..but without smashing the ski through the amp.

Yeah, no destroying my skis! Did you see The Who on The Tonight Show a couple weeks ago. So good!
I digress. I will have a photog in tow tomorrow, will need to remember to do the photo op!

 

[AmyPJ]

No Pete Townsend today, my photographer is taking tomorrow off work instead. But I skied the Santa Anas for two runs and boy are they fun! I can't get over how easy they turn for as wide as they are. Just a tiny bit slower than my Kenjas, which are 90 under foot. And when they do turn, they arc very nicely for me. Still haven't gotten them on snow they will truly shine in. The powder that's left is concrete and cut up concrete, so today was a groomer day. I'll try to hunt down some off-piste tomorrow on them when the sun is out and things soften more. I did hit a few piles on them, and they just float right over the top. I think I have found my soft-snow biased daily driver ski!
And they look great with the Attack 12 bindings, I think